


As One

by The_Literary_Assassin



Category: Last Tango In Halifax
Genre: F/F, Family, Fluff, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-03-22 01:38:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13753527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Literary_Assassin/pseuds/The_Literary_Assassin
Summary: Caroline wakes up in unfamiliar territory. Will it teach her to appreciate what she has? Or will it break her even further?Written as a Christmas One-Shot in 2014. Unrelated to my other LTiH stories.





	As One

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a cross post of the story on FF.net. Not much has changed, few edits here and there but it's mostly the same. If there's anybody still around, enjoy. Anybody wondering about my other two fics (providing you're all still around that is)
> 
> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

Caroline woke to a giggle and screwed up her eyes. She had drunk a lot of wine the night before and she'd really prefer to sleep the God-awful hangover off, rather than be disturbed at such an hour.

"Mama?"

She frowned again in her sleep.

"Is Mama being sleepy?" a voice whispered, louder than Caroline would like.

"Why she sleepin'?" 

A chuckle swept over her like a warm blanket and she opened her eyes to see a beaming Kate laying next to her.

"What?" she said, without thinking. "Why are you -" she blinked again. "You're here!"

She didn't give Kate time to answer, launching herself at her beautiful Kate and kissing her deeply.

"Whoa," Lawrence said from behind her. "I thought you were both going to cool it while we were home."

Caroline pulled back and looked at Kate, unable to take her eyes off her face until something pulled her away. 

"Mama, what about our snuggle!"

She rolled over and gaped at what she saw. A little girl with dark hair and a boy with Kate's colouring.

"What on earth?"

"Ma, budge up, the sproglets will start crying, and then we'll all be in trouble."

Caroline did as she was asked, still gaping at the little children clambering into her bed. She felt Kate's arm around her and she leaned back instinctively as she watched the two little things clamber onto the bed, aided by Lawrence, who had shocked her just as much with his broad shoulders and stubble. 

"Are you alright?" Kate asked, her hand wrapping around and stroking Caroline's stomach. "You feeling nauseous?"

Caroline's breath shortened as she realised what Kate was talking about. She looked down and saw her slightly rounded stomach and lost her breath entirely. 

"Lawrence, how about you take the kids for a minute and wake up William and we'll call you back in a moment," Kate said quickly, pulling Caroline down until she was prone. "Caroline, come back to me. It's okay."

"You're gone," she hiccuped. "You were gone and you don't want me. What is going on? I don't know what's going on!"

"Stop," Kate said, her hands smoothing over Caroline's torso and face. "Stop and listen, I think you're still dreaming."

"I don't know what's happening."

"I need to get you to hospital?" Kate's voice went up a little.

"No!" Caroline yelled, suddenly understanding that this was real, or wasn't. But somehow it also was, in this moment. "No," she breathed, her heart still beating wildly. "I'm okay. I'm just very confused."

"I told you, forever, Caroline. We're forever."

"I don't," she shook her head, looking to the door. "They aren't all ours?" Caroline gaped.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kate chuckled, though Caroline could see the worry lingering. "Of course they're ours. You were there, holding my hand when we had Helena. I nearly broke your hand."

"And the little boy?" Caroline asked, recognising that it wasn't helping Kate to ask these questions.

"I'm ringing the doctor."

"No, Kate, wait," Caroline said quickly, gripping Kate's arm. "Just," she sighed. "Humour me."

"This isn't normal. Something could be wrong."

"Wait," Caroline said, sitting up and rubbing her head, feeling a migraine coming on. "Just wait."

"Caroline -"

"Kate, I need you to pretend that I'm not Caroline for a moment and explain to me what the hell is going on."

"You're really scaring me."

"I'm scaring you!" she cried. "Last night, I went to bed - blind drunk, I might add - because you refused to even  _ think _ of being with me again. I was here, alone, with only Lawrence for company - and a fat lot of good that did because he hates me right now. I'm sure he'd rather be off with his Dad."

"God that must have been some dream."

"Kate -"

"We've been married for five years," Kate whispered, her fingers running along Caroline's forearm and to the pretty but simple rings adorning her left hand. "Five glorious years. We had Helena, and then adopted Ezekiel - Zeke - but you know this. You are the one who wanted another baby," she ran her hand lightly over Caroline's stomach. "You went through so much for this last one."

"I, we're married?"

"Caroline, I think I'm taking you to the hospital. Are you sure you didn't hit your head?"

"Stop," Caroline said, her eyes closed. "Stop."

She looked down at her hands, clasped over her belly. She could feel it now, feel the life growing inside her, and though she couldn't recall what would have possibly made her want to do all this again, she had seen the beautiful faces of the two children that had woken her. 

"Please." 

"We married in a quiet ceremony, your mother still doesn't like me and we have 4 and a half children between us."

"Wow," Caroline whispered. "I, we're married!" 

Kate laughed, tugging Caroline into her arms. 

"You used to say that when we made love. After Helena came along. Before that, you used to lay there and run your hands over my belly and now I know why." Her hand crept under Caroline's top, soothing a rolling stomach. "It's magical."

"But we're married."

"Uhuh," Kate said with a peck. "Now can we have Christmas morning with our children?"

The words had a visceral reaction on Caroline and she grinned, giving over to whatever crazy experience she was having.

"God yes." 

Kate slipped out of bed, wearing nothing but a Gorillaz t-shirt & bare legs and Caroline wondered if she'd died in her sleep and gone to heaven.

"Mama!" 

She opened her arms and caught the little body that impacted her chest.

"Careful Zeke," Kate called. " We have to be careful of Mama's tummy remember?"

"For da bubba?" he asked in an accent. 

Caroline didn't ask, but she wondered if they'd adopted him overseas. He kissed her lips sloppily and she broke into a grin, kissing him over and over like she'd done when Lawrence was little. His tight hair was so unlike anything she'd felt before, but she rested her cheek against it as she watched the little girl whispering to Kate.

"She's okay baby," Kate assured her.

"Did you have a night scare Mama?" 

"I did," Caroline smiled, tears in her eyes over how beautiful they were. "But I'm okay now."

"The baby too?" Helena asked, her gaze resting on Caroline's middle.

"We're both perfect," Caroline said, meaning it.

Helena clambered onto the bed and leant into Caroline.

"Come here," Caroline whispered, taking her on her knee once Ezekiel had moved. "We're fine," she looked over to Kate who was glowing with happiness as she looked at them. "You too?"

Kate knelt on the bed and dropped a kiss on all three of their heads before settling beside them and wrapping her long arm around them all. Snuggle time was Caroline's new favourite thing. The children lay quietly in both their arms, though Caroline could feel the excitement thrumming underneath it all.

"I'm not sure we're going to keep them here much longer," Kate grinned as they heard someone stomp past the door.  "Your son is announcing his presence."

"Why isn't he coming in here?" Caroline asked.

"He's too cool to cuddle with Mummy," William grinned as he walked in.

"William!" Caroline said, moving Zeke to her side and pulling William onto the bed and kissing his hair.

"Alright Mum, we did this yesterday, remember."

"I can't help it, I miss you."

"And you said that yesterday too," Kate giggled. "Your hormones are worse than mine!"

"That's saying something," William quipped. Kate flicked his ear with a laugh.

"We go now Mama?" Zeke asked.

"Yes, alright then." Caroline groaned, rolling over into Kate's arms. "Everyone downstairs."

"You with us now?" Kate asked as the troops ran out of the door.

"Yeah," Caroline said with a smile, ignoring the awful feeling in the back of her head. "I'm with you."

"Good, now get your beautiful body downstairs," Kate said, rolling out and pulling on a pair of pyjama trousers. 

Caroline smiled happily, staying in bed for barely a second more to revel in the feelings she was feeling. She wanted this to be real, she was desperate for this to be real. She slid out of bed and stood before the mirror.

"Wow," Caroline said, smoothing her top over her belly. She'd not been trim since Lawrence was born. She'd become accustomed to that fact, okay, so accustomed was perhaps the wrong word but looking at herself now, she saw some very clear change. It was obvious she'd been committed to this endeavour. She'd slimmed down, not a lot, but enough that the stomach she now had was obviously pregnant, rather than middle-aged spread. Her ass looked amazing too.

"Ma! Come on, we're wasting away!"

She grinned at herself in the mirror and went downstairs. The room was awash with colour, and she was infinitely pleased to see they were still in her house. She figured something must have happened for her to boot John, and she sat next to Kate, needing the stability as she took in the people in her living room. Lawrence was sitting by the tree and William had his arm around a girl, which made her smile. And then, there was a boy sitting in the armchair next to Lawrence. She wasn't going to ask, she'd done with asking and right now she didn't care who it was because  _ this _ was her family. 

"Alright sproglets," Lawrence said, rubbing his hands gleefully. "Let's get on this."

"You're such a dork," the unnamed boy said.

"But I'm your dork, so be quiet," Lawrence laughed.

Caroline's eyes nearly fell out of her head. It was the running joke back, wherever, or whenever, she had been; real or no, that William was the one who wasn't quite straight. She leant back against Kate and laughed to herself. It made sense actually. William was merely quiet, but he looked very attached to the girl in his arms, and Lawrence had always been the one who was so overly loud about him being gay. Life was a funny thing.

"You alright?" Kate whispered in her ear as her hand rubbed her tummy again.

"Just marvelling at our family." 

"It's pretty amazing," Kate said. "And you're magnificent."

"And you are very pretty," Caroline chuckled, tipping her head to kiss her.

The presents were unwrapped in a sea of paper and ribbon and happiness. The two little ones cried at one point, separately and then together when they were given new bikes. Apparently, she and Kate were making good money if all the presents were any indication. It had been one of Caroline's biggest worries before she ruined it all with Kate, how much money they would need to be comfortable both in  _ her _ house and then, in another. 

She absently wondered where her mother was.

The morning was quiet and long and spent curled up in Kate's arms. She recalled - not that long ago for her - holding Kate as Kate was now holding her. It was so precious. 

Later in the day, after William and his girlfriend cooked a light lunch, Gillian and the rest of them had turned up, followed closely by Alan and her mother. Kate had not been wrong when she said her mother still had problems with them both, and she found with distaste that the attitude was extended to Lawrence. It seemed to roll off his back though and he made sure to kiss his partner within sight of her. Caroline grinned happily when she found that he took after her more than she thought.

The night rolled around, the children were asleep between them, the rest of their guests distributed between various guest rooms and pull out sofas. Caroline didn't want to close her eyes, so she sat watching the children and Kate. Helena was so like Kate in looks, and in a funny way so was Ezekiel. She'd discovered through the day that he took mostly after her, but he looked so similar to Kate, and she wondered if that was why they chose him. She couldn't imagine the process. Choosing between a whole host of children to take home with them. It was a somewhat disturbing feeling.

"Go to sleep," Kate whispered. "The baby needs you to sleep."

Kate's beautiful hands worked over her arms and shoulders, the only part of her she could reach over their two babies and Caroline kissed Kate's palm when it neared her mouth.

"I love you," Caroline said. "I hope you know that. I've always loved you, even back when I didn't have you. I loved you so desperately."

"I know," Kate whispered, "sleep now."

"Yeah," Caroline, feeling the sleep wash over her. She closed her eyes and fell into slumber, already knowing that it was over, that she'd wake up alone again, as she had done for so long.

-0-

She watched as Gillian cut into Robbie's dance. She wondered absently if she had been the one dancing with him whether she'd be so easy to shift. She didn't particularly like Robbie, but she felt something akin to sisterhood with Gillian and it pained her to see the woman so blase with her affections. Her eyes widened as she saw an angel moving across the floor and come to stand beside her. 

Kate was talking, something about going home, but Caroline couldn't quite make out what she was saying. It was only when Kate's hand was there, waiting for her own to take it that everything came back into perfect quality. 

"Is this like," she bit her lip.

"What?" Kate asked.

"Forever?" Caroline couldn't help but smile and run her fingers over Kate's as the light danced across her skin.

"Well, to quote Prince forever's a mighty long time."

-0-

Later that night, Christmas morning to be precise, Caroline woke with a start and tried to get her bearings. Kate was next to her, naked if her bare back was anything to go by. The woman was moaning a little in her sleep, and Caroline knew that the position she was in was not always the best position to sleep in. Removing a pillow from behind her head, she shifted forward and pulled Kate back onto her, pushing the pillow under the bulge that Caroline had fallen in love with when she'd started showing. 

She smiled against Kate's shoulder as the woman sighed.

"I love you," Kate whispered, half asleep.

"I love you," Caroline almost said too, as she had always done with John but she stopped, realising she loved her, not as well, but absolutely. "I love you both."

"Merry Christmas."

"I got the best present this year," Caroline whispered, silently thanking the universe for placing this woman back in her arms. 

"Next years will be better," Kate muttered, moving Caroline's hand from her side onto the swell of their child. 

"Yeah," Caroline grinned. "And the year after that."

Kate hummed her agreement, but she was out like a light, and Caroline followed after, dreaming of the years after that, and the Christmases they'd share, as one.


End file.
